Creating a loophole in the Giteau Law wide enough to fit a pair of locks through is a savvy move on Rugby Australia’s part.
Proposed alterations to the Wallabies eligibility criteria in the past have rightly attracted scepticism about any potential negative impacts on Australian rugby; that if the country’s best players can earn more money playing elsewhere while still having the door to the Wallabies squad held open for them, the quality of – and therefore interest in – domestic teams will drop to alarming levels.
Opening a back door for just two players, however, will have no such detrimental effect, nor will a policy change which has been put in place just for a single season.
Even extending this rule – which, if we’re going to follow the naming convention from 2015 of using a player’s name, can only be called the Arnold Amendment – beyond 2020 wouldn’t be an issue in of itself, although the possibility of it paving the way for wholesale alterations in the future is problematic.
Rob Clarke left the door open for further policy shifts next year and beyond, saying “We are being quite clear that this addition is for this year only but that we will continue to review the entire policy from time to time, as required.” That isn’t half as clear as he seems to think it is. We’ll have to wait to see whether this is indeed a one-off, or whether it’s a classic case of anything you say in a sentence before the word “but” not really counting.
What is clear is there will be two men in the Wallabies squad this year which aren’t playing in Australia. When the change to the Giteau Law was announced yesterday, it was framed as a way to deal with the increased squad size that COVID-19 regulations have brought about (“Dave [Rennie] will soon assemble his squad and they’re likely to remain in a ‘bubble’ for ten weeks with no opportunity to call in replacements for injury due to the quarantined environment,” said Clarke).
The more noticeable impact, however, will be on the side’s starting XV – there’s no point bringing in a couple of depth players here. For that reason, the lucky couple who get the nod are locks; one figuratively, both literally.
Rory Arnold. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
With Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman and Izack Rodda leaving Australian rugby since the World Cup, the Wallabies’ second-row stocks are thin.
Sure, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto has looked a far better player than he did on the blindside flank – and the Queensland Red is probably the one player who stands to be disadvantaged by the amendment – Matt Philip and Cadeyrn Neville are solid options, and Trevor Hosea offers good potential, but there’s a distinct lack of world-class players in the position.
Having established himself as one of the best locks on the planet last year before leaving Canberra for Toulouse, Arnold should be, must be, an automatic selection.
The second spot is less clear-cut. Now signed with Lyon, Rodda is one option, but given he’s signed with the French side for just a single season, a far better strategy would be to get him back to the Wallabies via a Super Rugby contract for after his current deal.
There’s less chance of that approach working with Will Skelton, who’s on La Rochelle’s books until the end of the 2022 season. The former Waratah has developed well since leaving Australia, and after failing to lure the then-Saracen back home in time to board the plane to Japan last year a la Nic White, the new loophole would now allow the Wallabies to put Skelton’s damaging frame back in a gold jersey.
Choosing between the two could come down to what kind of a combination Rennie and his coaching team want to employ in the second row. Arnold-Skelton would offer a physically imposing pairing which would dominate the contact zone but leave the lineout somewhat vulnerable, while replacing the latter with Rodda would allow for a more reliable set-piece.
Dave Rennie needs to use his overseas selections wisely. (Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)
Depth in other positions essentially negates the need to look beyond Australia’s overseas locks, but if Rennie does want a bit of variety in his imports, Tolu Latu is a possibility. He was one of the Wallabies’ best at the World Cup, but fellow squad members Folau Fainga’a and Jordan Uelese are playing well in Super Rugby and hooker doesn’t appear to be an area of particular concern.
The same goes for the back row. Much as Australian fans want to see Sean McMahon back with the national side, much as there’s disappointment that Liam Gill’s last Test came in 2013, there’s enough competition already for jerseys six through eight with Michael Hooper, Fraser McReight, Liam Wright, Pete Samu, Isi Naisarani, Harry Wilson, Rob Valetini and Jack Dempsey all performing strongly.
There’ll be a chorus calling for Samu Kerevi’s return to the Wallabies, too. A reasonable enough request given his form last year, but the damaging centre hasn’t played a game of top-level rugby since February 15 and isn’t set to play another anytime soon.
He might have been one of the two players alongside Arnold who were most disappointing to lose at the end of 2019, but there’s no point rushing him into a Test squad without any match fitness, particularly when the Wallabies are already capable of running out a strong 10-12 combination of Matt To’omua and James O’Connor.
Ultimately there’s no point overcomplicating things. There’s enough quality in Super Rugby AU that Rennie can pick a competitive front row, back row and backline. The new loophole should be used to make sure there’s a top-class second row to match.
That means plucking Rory Arnold and one of Will Skelton and Izack Rodda from France and placing them back in the Wallabies squad.
GJ
Roar Rookie
Issue is that rugby is so far behind the other codes that they will not resurrect it without the Wallabies winning. So RA needs to make the hard call and ditch the OS player rule and be more creative eg form relationships with some clubs in Japan, England and France to rotate senior players and use super as a player development platform while they work on player pathways, where they need to copy AFL and league. Also, a wallabies jumper adds to a players price so there would not be a big exodus. They also need to improve the standard of coaching. Eg Skelton was wasted at NSW and has become world class with Sarries and McCall getting him fit and coaching him for skill. The set-piece, contact win, kicking game of England and SA has also shown how to beat the high passing game of NZ so Aus needs to select for that. Which means selecting good scrummagers, several jumpers, good goal kicker/field position kickers, player that can win contact and a back three that is competent under the high ball. That would lead to selecting Arnold and Skelton at lock, see if Polota-Nau is fit for scrummaging, and taller - for lineout options - ball carrying options in the loose forwards. So someone like Niasirini, McMahon over shorter less impactful players like Hooper or players like Wilson who run lines but don’t bust tackles. The Rebels coaching staff need a kicking for not doing better with fa'amausili too as he does break tackles. He would be much more developed under Thorn and Lillicrap at the Reds. The fullback should be Hodge for his strength under the high ball, d and kicking game with DHP on one wing with others to fight it out. If Kerevi were fit he should be in too with JP at the reds at 13. He’s the best inside centre in the world. Comments that he is one dimensional are silly. Then Toomua should be 10 with White for the D, and strong kicking game. Starting to have a wining team with those sorts of world class players in the team. The game has slipped so much that they need do what it takes to win again.
Rhys
Roar Rookie
I'd much rather be taking about actual footy than about how the sport is run which we've unfortunately been doing an awful lot the past 2 years.
Sluggy
Roar Guru
I agree, this is a good move. We are weak in the 2R, so why not?
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
It’s a bit early for the victory lap, eh bro?
Double Agent
Guest
" but gosh, isn’t it great to be talking rugby again?!" I thought we always talked Rugby here on the Roar?
Double Agent
Guest
I agree with one lock maybe two,and the 12,but none of those loosies.
blerp
Roar Rookie
We don't need two locks. In my view, Philip has earned his shot and LSL has come into his own in the row. We just need one more as i don't think any of the other options currently in Aus are test players (yet). Kerevi is a brilliant battering ram but you can only use him with a 12 man game plan. Otherwise he's too limited. In my opinion our Hookers have been badly below par this year. Latu is the obvious second choice in my view.
Sluggy
Roar Guru
Bristol definitely wont release Morahan that’s for sure They don't have a choice, during the regulated international periods.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Having slept on it, I’ve gone from a maybe to it has to be. Samu Kerevi is just a class player. If we are worried about match fitness start JOC 10 and To’omua 12 and play Samu off the bench.
Aiden
Guest
40 tests OR six seasons (inclusive of a season that they commit to on return) in Super Rugby should be the rule. I’m not sure why the whole focus is on tests when the point of the rule is retaining players in AU, that is, loyalty to the local game. Plenty of reasons why players who have showed that loyalty don’t get picked for heaps of tests when they are younger, incumbency of an older player, blind favorites held by the Coach (the Chieka effect), injury and form.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
LSL is better than Skelton right now. Is Arnold better than Blyth? I knows he’s nowhere near as fit. I know he hasn’t played in ages.
SEMISI FUKOFUKA
Guest
Do what NZ bring young Pacific players at High School years play rugby but give them an education will boost Australia players strength like Taniela Tupou but also some make the All Black so go ahead offer scho;arship to top Pacific Rugby players at High School level
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
Non-match fit Kerevi vs Godwin? Hodge???? Kerevi wins every time. By miles.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
Uelese is my favourite too. He’s a beast. But BPA is playing out of his skin.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
6 months or so. Why, has he gotten better? He’s not as good as LSL. When did you last see him play?
pm
Roar Rookie
Genia, Quade, Fardy (to some extent Foley, I guess) all good players still but would seem like a step in the wrong direction given their age I'd have thought if Rennie did bring them back. I'd hope he'd pick the in-countries and relatively young unless, like Arnold especially, the overseas bloke is a big upgrade. I'm preaching to the choir probably here.
Drew
Roar Rookie
He's still available (Simmons)
Drew
Roar Rookie
Don't forget Richie too.
Drew
Roar Rookie
Coleman hasn’t returned post COVID for London Irish has he had some surgery so he’s a very large unknown atm. I’d be doubtful if he’s the player Rennie has in mind when he requested this amendment. I also concur with others in that I think the optics might not look good if Rodda is recalled and I’d be curious what the player sentiment is about those ex-Red’s players. Skelton would be interesting. Was looking good at Saracens, haven’t seen his performances at La Rochelle. I know Scott Fardy is getting on, but he’s still looked pretty good. I wonder if Genia, Quade, Foley or anyone like that is on the cards for Rennie. I know people mention Tolu Latu, but some of his lineout throwing wasn’t so crash hot either for much of his time at the Waratahs.
Rugby wizard
Guest
Bristol definitely wont release Morahan that's for sure,I still think we need a good wing that's a secondary fullback like Corey Jane was for the All Blacks and Kolbe is for Springboks. Banks? DHP to slow Hodge to slow Campbell is a fullback and struggles on defence on the wing,who are the other candidates locally?